2 Samuel 22:9-19

9 Une fumée montait de ses narines, et de sa bouche un feu dévorant; il en jaillissait des charbons embrasés.
10 Il abaissa les cieux, et descendit, ayant l'obscurité sous ses pieds.
11 Il était monté sur un chérubin et volait; il parut sur les ailes du vent.
12 Il mit autour de lui les ténèbres comme une tente, des amas d'eaux, des nuées épaisses.
13 De la splendeur qui était devant lui, s'embrasèrent des charbons de feu.
14 L'Éternel tonna des cieux; le Très-Haut fit retentir sa voix.
15 Il lança des flèches, et dispersa mes ennemis; il lança des éclairs, et les mit en déroute.
16 Alors le fond de la mer apparut, et les fondements du monde se découvrirent, par la menace de l'Éternel, par le souffle du vent de sa colère.
17 Il étendit sa main d'en haut, et me prit; il me tira des grosses eaux.
18 Il me délivra de mon ennemi puissant, et de mes adversaires qui étaient plus forts que moi.
19 Ils m'avaient surpris au jour de ma calamité, mais l'Éternel fut mon appui.

2 Samuel 22:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 22

This chapter contains a song or psalm, the same with the eighteenth psalm, and which, according to Jarchi, was composed by David in his old age, and, as Kimchi says, at the end or close of his days; but Abarbinel is of opinion that it was written in his youthful time, in the midst of his troubles, and was sung by him as often as he had a deliverance from any; and which may account for the several variations in it from the eighteenth psalm, which, the same writer observes, are seventy four; and are not to be ascribed to the difference of copies, or neglect of copiers: and very probably, towards the close of his days, he revised it, and made it fit for general use, and sent it with the rest of his psalms to the chief musician; but the particular consideration of it, and of the differences in it from Ps 18:1-50 are referred to the exposition of that book in its course.

The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.